Try an exciter/ enhancer

Mastering is often considered to be something of a dark art, being the final, complicated process that a track goes through before it’s considered to be finished. However, it isn’t an unlearnable skill; Computer Music has a beginners’ guide to mastering in its December issue (CM146), and offers the following nine tips on the subject.

Tip 1: If your top-end still isn’t right despite your best EQ efforts, you might want to try an exciter or enhancer. Whereas EQs can accentuate noise, and only amplify what’s already there. Exciters raise the harmonics of the fundamental tones found in the recording, brightening dull mixes. As with everything in mastering, though, don’t overdo it!